How McLaren can win its 10th F1 title in Baku

McLaren stands on the threshold of securing its 10th constructors’ championship in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this week.

Having dominated in most of the first 16 races of the 2025 season, its sensational run — 12 victories and 27 podium finishes — has left it 337 points clear of Ferrari following Monza, and just a small step away from the title.

Clinching the title in Azerbaijan would set a new record for the earliest title win by number of races left — seven. The previous benchmark was set by Red Bull in 2023, when it clinched the championship with six rounds to spare.

The scale of McLaren’s advantage makes the scenario straightforward.

After the Italian Grand Prix, McLaren sits on 617 points, far ahead of Ferrari in second on 280, with Mercedes trailing on 260 and Red Bull back in fourth on 239.

There are a maximum of 389 points still up for grabs this season, which will drop to 346 points after Baku: McLaren’s margin means that a strong finish in that race will take the crown out of reach for its rivals.

Current constructors’ championship standings

How McLaren can clinch the title in Baku

McLaren needs only to outscore Ferrari by nine points at Baku to increase the gap between the teams to the crucial 346 points.

Realistically, that’s McLaren’s only obstacle, even though Mercedes and Red Bull are also mathematically in with a chance of the title.

Mercedes would have to outscore McLaren by 12 points to remain in the title race, and Red Bull would need 32 points more than the championship leaders.

Even if we saw either unlikely scenario, it would only delay the inevitable — each team would then need 1-2 finishes at every remaining race to beat McLaren.

McLaren’s dominance

In the context of today’s extended 24-race calendar, sealing the championship with seven races still to go would be arguably one, if not the most, decisive constructors’ victory ever, both in relative and absolute terms.

Red Bull’s 2023 triumph — sealed with six races remaining in a 22-race calendar — stands as a modern benchmark, even though the vast majority of the point-scoring rested on the shoulders of Max Verstappen: he scored 575 points that year, compared with team-mate Sergio Perez‘s 285 points.

Mercedes, during its dominant hybrid era, secured titles with four rounds left.

With eight races to go, McLaren’s title could redefine what dominance looks like in Formula 1’s longest-ever season, helped by the strong performances from both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, who respectively have 324 and 219 points.

The permutations that secure McLaren the title in Baku